Wagon end-gate



(No Model.) l

A. R. MAGUIRE. WAGON END GATE. N0.550,987. Patented 1390.10, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT UEEICE.

ALEXANDER R. MAGUIRE, OE LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

WAGON ENDGATE-` SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No.550,987', dated December 10, 1895.

Application led April 24, 1895. Serial No. 547,006. (No model.)

To all whom, t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER R. MA- GUIRE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in End-Boardsand Devices for Fastening the Same, as fully described and shown in thefollowing specification, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates generally to devices of the above class, but moreparticularly to such devices as provide for wagons having highsupportingsides, against which the load is piled, such as the commonform of ice-delivery wagon.

This invention consists of a novel form and arrangement of the end-boardand its fastening, whereby the end-board may be readily adjusted andsecured in position and is held longitudinally, as well as laterally, toact as a brace to resist the spreading of the sides of the wagon.

As heretofore formed and arranged, the end-boards of ice-delivery wagonsare held laterally by their fastenings, but not longitudinally, theresult being that the sides of a heavily-loaded wagon are apt to spreadat the back under pressure of the ice and one or more of the end-boardsfall out, followed, if the wagon is inclined toward the back, as ingoing'fuphill, by a portion of the load.

The/"object of this invention is to remedy the defect above set forth,which not only occasions great loss'of time to persons employed uponsaid wagons, but is often dangerous, not only for such persons, but alsofor others who happen to be in the immediate vicinity.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a rear elevation of an ice-wagon body, showing my inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged back view of single board vandfastening. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my improved fastening, showingpart of wagon in section. Fig. 4: is a detached view of portion of boardand fastening, showing same in position for removal or adjustment of theboard.

Similar letters and figures of reference refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the wagonbody, which is of the usual formand provided With-a suitable iioor or platform 1, the uprights or posts2, the side-boarding 3, and the top 4, all formed and arranged in theusual manner.

T T T, &c., represent a series of my improved end-boards, secured oneabove the other and each held longitudinally as well as laterally, andforming a brace to prevent the spreading of the sides of the body A.

Under my improved end-boards are shown the end-boards B B, of the usualtype, which are arranged to slide behind the rods 7 7, which aresuitably secured to the sides of the wagon-body A and which hold theboards B B in position laterally, but not longitudinally. I iind itconvenient in practice to use the endboards B B in connection with myimproved 'end-boards T T, &c., on account of their adaptability towithstand the great lateral strain which naturally falls upon the lowerboards. Vhen lightly loaded, the sides of the body A are not apt to besufficiently spread to displace the lower boards, arranged as described,and whenheavily loaded the sides of the body A are held together by oneor more of the boards T.

Each of the boards T T, Sr/c., is provided with a transverse slot 5 anda longitudinal slot 6, located, respectively, adjacent to the oppositeends of the board.

To one side of the wagon-body Ais secured a series of shoulder-latches 88 8, &c., which are respectively adapted to be projected through thelongitudinal slot 6 and engage with the outer end of the same, eachbeing provided with a laterally-projecting shoulder 9, which when thelatch is projected through the slot 6 and brought into contact with theouter end of the same extends along the back of the board, thearrangement being such that the body of the latch 8 holds the board Tlongitudinally in position and the shoulder 9 laterally.

In practice I prefer to secure the latches 8 8, dac., to the sides ofthe wagon, as follows: At the front and back. of the rear uprightl 2(see Fig. 3) I secure a metal plate l0, in which are drilled a series ofholes arranged in pairs upon opposite sides of the post 2 and each paircoinciding with a hole bored through IOO the post 2. From each of thelatches 8 projects a stem 11,Whieh extends through the post 2 and bothplates l0 10, and the rear portion of which is threaded to receive a nut12. The latch 8 is provided with a shoulder 14, which extends along therear plate 10, the arrangement being such that when the nut l2 is set upthe latch 8 is held firmly inaxed position against metal bearings. Theplates l l0 conveniently extend along the post 2 a sulicient distance tocover all the bearings of the latches S S, ne. To the other side of thebody A is secured a series of double shoulders or T-shaped latches l l5l5, che., eaeh of which is capable of rotation and adapted to beprojected through the transverse slot 5 and then rotated until broughttransversely thereto. Then in the position last described, the shoulders1G 1G of the latch l5 project along the back of the board T and hold thesame laterally in position, While the body of the latch l5, bearingagainst the sides of the slot 5, prevents any longitudinal movement ofthe board T.

ItWill be noted that since each of the latches S and l5 holds its boardT both laterally and longitudinally each of the boards T acts as alateral brace to preventthe sides of the body A from spreading.

Each of the latches l5 l5, rbc., is provided With an operating-handle18, which is conveniently located at the front of the post 2 and rigidlyconnected with the stem 19, which secures the latch l5 to the post 2.

A single-shouldered latch may be used nstead of the doubled-shoulderedlatch and the position of the slot 5 varied; but I prefer thearrangement shown on account of the greater bearing of latch l5 on boardT.

In practice I also provide plates l0 10, the form and arrangement ofwhich I have already described, to form bearings for the latches l5 l5,the., and each of said latches is provided with a shoulder 20, Whichbears against t-he rear plate l0, the hub of the handle I8 or a suitableWasher bearing against the front plate.

It will be noted that in my improved endboard the slots 5 and G are bothinclosed slots, being, as shown, surrounded on all sides by the materialof the board, and that by reason of such construction, in connectionWith the shoulder-latehes herein described, I am enabled to hold theboards T T, &c., longitudinally as Well as laterally, so that each boardT acts as a brace to prevent the sides of the Wagon from spreading, andit is obvious that any end-board so held not only cannot fall outitself, but will prevent other lower boards secured by other means fromfalling out when such result arises from the spreading of the sides ofthe Wagon.

I therefore claim as novel and desire to seeure by Letters Patent- Thecombination with a Wagon box, of an end board therefor having elongatedslots formed in its opposite ends, a fixed latch 8 on one side of thebody having a head with an overhanging shoulder 9, adapted to passthrough one of the said slots and proj eet over the end Wall thereof,and a pivoted latch on the opposite side of the body having a head Withan overhanging shoulder, arranged to engage over the side Walls of theopposite slot, and a lever on the inner end of the pivoted latch forturning the sameafter the head has been passed into the slot,substantially as described.

Vitness my hand, in the preseneeof two attesting Witnesses, this 22d dayof April, 1895.

ALEXANDER R. MAGUIRE.

\Vitnesses BENJAMIN PHILLIrs, A. E. XVHYTE.

